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of Bill :Her Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick, enacts as follows:

1 The Coroners Act, chapter C-23 of the Revised Statutes, 1973, is amended by adding after section 7 the following:

7.1(1) Where an individual dies as a direct result of an accident or other incident which occurred in the course of his or her employment or occupation, the employer and the physician who signs the deceased's death certificate shall, severally, immediately notify a coroner.

7.1(2) Upon receiving notification under subsection (1) the coroner shall hold an inquest.

7.1(3) Where the coroner becomes aware of a death which was, in the coroner's opinion, likely a direct result of an accident or other incident which occurred in the course of the deceased's employment or occupation, but the coroner has not received notice from the employer or attending physician, the coroner shall investigate the death to determine whether it falls within the scope of subsection (1), and

(a) if the coroner finds that the death occurred as a direct result of an accident or other incident in the course of the deceased's employment or occupation, the coroner shall hold an inquest; or

(b) if the coroner does not find that the death occurred as a direct result of an accident or other incident in the course of the deceased's employment or occupation, the coroner shall conduct himself or herself in a manner consistent with this Act.